Day 40 - Highway 1
Woke up early for a 5 o'clock shuttle pick up to get to the airport by 6.30 to pick up the hire car. Having never driven in the states, I wanted to be on the road early to hopefully avoid heavy traffic, so was thinking 6.30 airport, an 30 - 45 minutes to get the car sorted, so on the road by 7.15ish. 30 minutes from the hotel to the airport seemed to be the general consensus from a number of sources, that didn't take in to account a lunatic shuttle driver, and after getting in the van at 6.00, was dropped off at the airport at 6.14am.
Hopped on the air train, and was at the Alamo counter by about 6.20. 1st hurdle, no one at the Alamo counter. Lady in a National Car rental uniform saw me 'I can help you sir'. Very nice and friendly lady, saw that I had requested a mustang through carrentals.com, and gave me the bad news that the gentleman before me had just grabbed a mustang that was out and ready to go, and did I mind taking a camaro. Wanting to get on the road, and no real big deal although I really would have preferred the mustang, said no worries. 5 minutes of paperwork, then I was out the back of the counters and in the car lot. Camaro was next to the door ready to go, and another hurdle, by this stage I had accumulated 2 bags, and no way were they going to fit in the boot. Counter lady saw this came over and asked me if I didn't mind waiting a while she could get me a mustang. Bugger I thought, there goes my chance of beating the traffic, a while could mean anything.
About 3 minutes later, along came the lovely, smiling lady with this:
1800 miles on the dial, bags fit with room to spare, and i was on my way a bit before 7am.
Next hurdle, getting out of the lot, 'why is this cough coming at me on the wrong side of the road? Bugger, i'm the cough', over the the right I went.
Out of the lot, and on to the road and to my first set of lights and turn. 'Loose left, tight right', kept the mantra, and before long was in the flow of traffic on the 280. Light traffic, effected my first merge and had a bit of confidence going.
Very quickly was off the freeway, and on to the single lane road to Half Moon Bay. Stuck behind a slow moving truck, which I didn't mind, gave me a chance to fiddle around with the controls inside the car.
Fairly comfortable after a little while on the Highway 1, which then turns into freeway near Santa Cruz, and was here that had to take evasive action to avoid being side swiped by a crazy woman barrelling out of a merge point. Quick move by myself into the adjoining lane, then watched as this idiot went lane changing at breakneck speed up ahead. Few minutes to relax the grip on the wheel.
Eventually got through Monterey and Carmel, both where I planned to stop, but engrossed in the drive and keen to get through Big Sur avoiding traffic, so didn't.
Start of Big Sur portion, stopped for a coffee an toilet break at Carmel Highlands store.
Not being one for heights, had read various accounts on how tough the drive was through Big Sur, still wasn't sure what I was getting myself in for.
Shouldn't have worried, it was spectacular, some windy roads, gets close to the edge of a drop, but nothing at all to worry about. Plenty of opportunities to stop and take photos of the fantastic scenery.
Bixby Bridge is a big ticket sight, but before you get to it, Rocky Creek Bridge appears. Pretty impressive in its own right.
